Rigorous probabilistic analysis of equilibrium crystal shapes

The rigorous microscopic theory of equilibrium crystal shapes has made enor mous progress during the last decade. We review here the main results that have been obtained, both in two and higher dimensions. In particular, we de scribe how the phenomenological Wulff and Winterbottom constructions can be derived from the microscopic description provided by the equilibrium stati stical mechanics of lattice gases. We focus on the main conceptual issues a nd describe the central ideas of the existing approaches. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0022-2488(00)01003-3].